Flesh and Bones (Bones X Reader)
by toboldlyavenge
Summary: A post apocalyptic AU set after Into Darkness where The Enterprise was never saved, and Khan won. (Implied Past!Chekov X Reader)
1. Chapter 1

You couldn't remember the last time you'd seen the sun.

The air was suffocating and harsh, causing thick, raspy breaths to come fighting from your lungs. The only clothing left that hadn't disintegrated from wear was your tattered training uniform from Starfleet Academy three years ago - but even that was dirtied and torn. All around you was desolate space; ruined buildings; dry ground, burnt trees and immobile cars with no windows, shattered long ago.  
It had been almost three years to the date that Khan had destroyed the Enterprise, causing the collapse of Starfleet. In a vengeful rage he vowed to ruin the lives of any 'insignificant life' forms… and he did. He destroyed the Starfleet Command Centre, triggering an electromagnetic pulse which wiped out any and all electrical systems on planet Earth – permanently.

You'd been running for a while now, and the footsteps continued to follow you closely, but they were even louder now,  
"Shit…" You hissed, gasping for air as you veered around a pile of rubble and made a beeline for the nearest alleyway. Deciding you could sacrifice a few seconds to attempt to catch your breath, you slowed to a jog as you reached the end of the alley before finally stopping, doubling over from the burning sensation that spread from your chest to you abdomen that meant you'd been running too long. After a few moments you straightened back up and flattened yourself against the wall, still breathing heavily as you listened carefully to the footsteps that continued to increase in volume; an indication that they were getting closer and your hope was diminishing rapidly.

Three years ago Khan had triumphed over Starfleet and unfrozen his 72 man super-crew, and now one of them was chasing you - hunting you – because you were one of the few surviving Starfleet members or the "rebels" as Khan had labelled you. Of course, the price on your head wasn't quite as much as it was the Heroes of the Enterprise, but Khan wanted it removed from your shoulders none-the-less. And then there was the public torture or straight-up execution if you were ordered to be caught alive, because the people of the New World were kept in line mostly through fear. They knew what Khan was capable of, and to be quite honest you didn't half blame them for turning their backs on Starfleet. What you had heard about the things he had done to the captured rebels, you didn't even dare to imagine the pain.

Shaking your head, you brushed a lock of your _(h/c) hair out of your face, realising you might have just wasted a little too much time trying to catch your breath. Panic starting to set in, you launched yourself into a sprint to the end of the alleyway, one hand trying to grasp the wall as you rounded the corner and barrelled into something solid. The air was knocked harshly from your lungs and you found yourself on the ground, various parts of your body aching either from the endless running or impact with… Well,  
you didn't know.

"What in God's name…"

Two firm hands gripped your shoulders, and your face was scanned by a pair of large hazel brown eyes. A man's face was inches from yours- rugged, dotted with light stubble and small scars. Although he could never pass for old, the man's face looked…weathered. Almost exhausted yet, familiar?

"Leonard… Leonard McCoy?"

His face darted back, and he raised an eyebrow,

"How do you know my name?" His voice was rough and cracked; a side effect of the atmosphere. This was the face you'd seen plastered on decaying buildings, broadcast into the sky using the only technology that worked that Khan had at his disposal - one of the remaining Heroes of the Enterprise.

"Of course I know who you are." Leonard's eyes flickered to the Insignia on your collar as you spoke and offered one of his hands to you, lifting you to your feet, "There's a bigger price on your head than mine."

"Hey, she went this way!"

You grabbed McCoy's shirt and darted behind the nearest crumbled wall, peering over the top at the unit of elite soldiers. McCoy roughly pulled your hand away from his shirt which you apparently still had a firm grip on and you mumbled a quick apology as you ducked away,  
"We have to go, now." You whispered as loudly as you dared, signalling for him to follow you along the near decimated wall. He reluctantly followed, but you were losing wall to hide behind. Fortunately, you heard somebody yell about finding tracks and the group took off in the opposite direction whilst you carefully looked on. You had to admit, you were jealous of their almost pristine uniforms and bulletproof vests and the way they all looked relatively clean. That was one of the many privileges to being one of Khan's or his crew's men; you got clean water, clothes and were fed, even if there were restrictions it was better than the grubby lifestyle you and other Starfleet were forced to live. Rather unfortunately, however, the alley which would lead you to your escape route was being blocked by a stray soldier who was snooping around, clearly not quite convinced that a girl of your age and state could get away quite so easily.

You sighed quietly as your mind set to work on various other paths you could take but none of which would avoid the hireling blocking your route out of here. The sewers had become an easy and hidden way to get from point A to B, and he was currently standing in the way of the only access route to the nearest sewer entrance. A frown creased Leonard's brow as he shifted slightly in his crouched position next to you,

"I didn't think there were any Starfleet officers left." He whispered, and you whipped your head around to glare at him,

"Shut up." You hissed almost soundlessly, jabbing a thumb at the wall you were both hunkered down behind and he leaned away from you having noticed a peep hole in the wall so he could take a look,

"Is this how ya always speak to your superior officers?" He questioned almost casually but quietly, and you resisted the urge to smack the side of his head,

"I don't give two hoots about whether you're my superior or not, he's blocking our only way out and _I don't know what to do!_" You were struggling to keep your voice down, and Leonard raised one hand as if to signal to you to keep the noise down, but the man blocking your ticket out of here had already been gripped tightly by curiosity and was gingerly treading towards you both. Without warning, Leonard picked up what you assumed was once part of a brick and threw it in the direction that you had come from. Thankfully it distracted him from his original path, and now with his phaser rifle cocked he altered his path to the left.

You released a breath that you hadn't realised you'd been holding, only to nearly choke when Leonard started back along the wall keeping slightly behind the armed soldier. You had no idea what he planned to do, and it wasn't like you could do a lot because all you had was a dagger concealed in the side of your right boot which you were positive was no match for a phaser, and a phaser rifle at that, no less. You watched Leonard as he reached the end of the wall, an almost horrified expression on your face with your mouth agape as the soldier stepped out in front of McCoy with his back turned. How were people still falling for that old throw-a-stone trick, anyway?

Before you knew it, Leonard had straightened up and lunged forward, one arm hooking around the unsuspecting soldier's neck in a choke hold, the other grasping his hand so there was no chance of escape. The phaser rifle clattered to the ground as both the soldier's hands flew up to the arms around his throat and he clawed at them to try and free himself, but it seemed the more he thrashed and flailed and tugged with as much strength as he could muster at McCoy's arms, the weaker his movements became and the tighter the grip was on his airway. Eventually the soldier fell limp and Leonard released his arm from around his neck, letting the soldier collapse onto the ground behind the wall,

"I was thinking a brick to the back of the head, but that worked, too…" You muttered as you stood, watching him dust himself off and pick up the rifle,

"The path is clear, isn't that whatcha wanted, Darlin'?" He raised an eyebrow as he inspected the soldier's weapon before looking up at you to find that your cheeks had a light pink dusting that wasn't there before,

"My name is _(f/n), thank you. Let's just get moving before they come back and find that one of their comrades is out cold and I'm nowhere to be found," You huffed, and you could've sworn you saw one corner of his mouth quirk upwards ever so slightly, but you were too intent on getting out of here as you vaulted over the thigh high wall or what was left of it and started off towards the alley that would lead you to a manhole – your entry into the sewers.

McCoy lifted the cover of the manhole and gestured inside,

"C'mon sweetheart, we ain't got all day." Glancing into the desolate pool of darkness below, you raised your eyebrows and chuckled lightly,

"It's like 7 foot down. Are you serious?"

"Well, it's either you let me help you down, or I push you. Make a choice, or I'll make it for ya." He fell to one knee and held his hand out, "Need a lift down?" Gingerly, you took his hand, lowering your leg into the sewer and following with the other one. The drop to the floor hit you hard, but not as hard as the smell. It was overwhelming, imposing your senses and making your head spin slightly. It smelt like a slab of meat that had been left in the car for too long on a hot summer day, and kind of confirmed your suspicions that the sewer was where Khan's soldiers hid the bodies that they were too lazy to dispose of.  
A heavy grunt echoed from the walls as McCoy dropped to the ground next to you in a perfect crouch. He stood and brushed his trousers off, winking quickly and tilting his head as he did so,

"That's how it's done." Turning away at his jeering, you began to walk forward, cringing as the unidentifiable sludge from the ground penetrated the lining of your shoes,  
"So, how does one of the Heroes of the Enterprise end up running around in possibly the most desolate district left on planet Earth?"

"Ha, the Heroes of the Enterprise? That what they're calling us now?" He caught up to you faster than you anticipated - his long legs giving him the advantage, "Hardly heroes, we couldn't even stop Khan when we had the damn chance."

"You were the only people that tried - that's what I heard anyway. That's always worth something."

"Enterprise crashes, takes out a whole city, half of its crew with it, and then Khan destroys the planet - and you're trying to tell me that was worth something?" He was facing you directly now, and had an eyebrow risen. Something about the way he was holding himself; he wasn't angry. It seemed like he was asking himself the same question,

"You're also forgetting the predicament with Nero that you and the rest of the Enterprise crew took care of."

"That was mostly Jim and Spock, I pretty much sat behind the scenes complaining about air sickness."

"Look, forget that I brought it up. Still not entirely sure why you're in this area, but -"

"Hey, even heroes need to eat. I was scouting out the nearby soldier camp, seeing how easy it would be to take over. Won't have much time to do that now, seeing as I've become a damn bodyguard."

"_Bodyguard?_ I can take care of myself, thanks." Your cheeks reddened at the thought of him being your protector, essentially, and you were glad when he decided against a retort, instead just glancing at out of the corner of his eye, rolling them with a 'pfft'.  
The next 20 minutes of the walk were silent and uncomfortable. The only source of light you had for guidance were the thin slits of light coming from the next manhole cover, which was always just close enough to be seen but not close enough to be of any use.

"So girly, how come you know so much about the Enterprise, anyway?" Although his attitude slightly disgusted you, you were glad for the broken tension,

"I'd appreciate it, Mr McCoy, if you used my actual name when speaking to me."

"Ok, '_'(y/n)," The sarcasm in his voice resounded around the tunnel,"How come you know so much about the Enterprise anyway?"  
You smiled at the ground as you walked further, unaware of your destination, "I was assigned to join the crew of the Enterprise, when it returned from the voyage to capture John Harrison. Naturally that, uh, didn't happen. I used to be seeing a guy in the Starfleet academy though - he was a Russian guy, just a year older than me, so he got assigned to the Enterprise first. He obsessed over the ship; thought it was wonderful. We'd stay up all night discussing the engineering and the command, and when given the choice to stay with me or join the ship? It wasn't a choice, not really."

"Russ - Oh, that… Uh…that sucks." McCoy cleared his throat, unaware of how he should approach the conversation,

"What area were you going to be working in?"

"Trainee nurse, in the medical bay."

"No way?!" A smile broke onto his face and little lines formed by his eyes - they seemed forced, like they weren't usually there, "That's my area right there."

"Was it nice working on the ship? Were the resources good?" You'd dreamt about the Enterprise for a good few years - the stories told of the ship were becoming stuff of legend.  
"Oh man, the place was beautiful. Big, open windows (and it's crazy that I liked those, because damn I hate flying.) The crew, we were all so close, it was like a little family…" He trailed off and looked away,

"How come it crashed?"  
McCoy gulped, looking at his feet when he walked. "The warp-core misaligned. We had no control of the ship, and the only way to get it working again was to re-align the core by hand - impossible, due to radiation. We just… just fell out of the sky."  
The silence returned, and so did the imposing darkness. Your feet had begun to swell in your shoes, which was odd because for the past year or so you'd been walking a good ten miles or more each day. You'd only really been walking about 40 minutes with McCoy.

"One final question Mr McCoy –"

"Damnit girl, will ya call me Bones? It's just - it's what I'm used to."

"Sure, uh, Bones. Where are we going?"

"Well for now, I'm bringing you back to camp. It's not safe for a lone Starfleet operative out there."

"So does that mean I'm going to meet -"

"That's right darlin', the Enterprise crew are all waitin' for ya."


	2. Chapter 2

You pushed the manhole cover open, with Bones giving you a boost. The sunlight hit your eyes and they failed for what seemed like minutes, but were most likely seconds. You used your remaining strength to begin pulling yourself onto the surface, but were halted by the cold barrel of a phaser pressed to the side of your head,  
"Woah lassie, state yer name and intention,"  
A voice to your left with a broad Scottish accent. You froze up; slowly lifting your hands to show you meant no harm.  
Over the past three years you'd been in numerous situations where there'd been a gun nosing at the side of your cranium, threatening to destroy your brain, but every time that little ring of metal pressed itself against your flesh goosebumps would arise all over your body and you'd find yourself numb and shocked all over again – unable to think or respond as all you could actually focus on was the fact that you were going to die and there would be not a soul to miss you or mourn your death. You were despised by Khan and his men, and shunned by the rest of civilisation. There was no in between, and if there were, you didn't know because they would be powerless alone to do anything, and almost definitely too scared for their own lives to risk it for yours.

The gun pressed against your temple nudged you slightly, reminding you of its presence,  
"For God's sake, Scotty, would'ya let the girl through?" Bones had surfaced behind you and was sliding the manhole back into place,  
"O-oh, I'm sorry, las." The Scottish accent stuttered slightly and you dropped your hands, turning around to come face to face with Montgomery Scott, but there was something oh-so different to the wanted posters you'd seen here and there (there weren't quite as many wanted posters of him as there were for some of the Enterprise crew, but enough for his face to stick in your mind)…

A jagged scar marred his face, more specifically across his left eye. The eye and lid themselves were untouched, but it sliced straight through his eyebrow about a thumbnail's length up, and an index finger's length down his cheek that started just beneath where his lower lashes reached. The skin was pulled taut over his left cheek and had puckered, no longer shiny which gave away that the scar was quite some time old, but no more than 5 years, perhaps. He was damn lucky he hadn't lost his sight, or even his eye,  
"I'm –"

"Montgomery Scott, I know." You hastily finished his sentence and his left eye seemed to twitch, like he knew you were now trying to avoid staring at the scar that seemed to be simply magnetising to your eyes,

"Some guy had a coupla' screws loose, but given the apocalypse and all I didn't really blame 'im." He offered with a small smile as he stuck his hand out, which you slowly grasped and then cursed yourself for the lousy grip you had as he shook it,

"I'm _(y/n)." And you left it at that, deciding to stick to just giving your first name for the moment but you managed to give a smile and he responded by breaking out into a full on toothy grin which put you at ease slightly at made your own smile easier to wear. He adjusted the long dark brown leather coat he was wearing as you dropped one another's hands and you noticed the dirty red shirt that was underneath that, plus another grey coloured jacket that he hadn't bothered to button up,

"Pleasure to meet you, _(y/n). You can jus' call me Scotty." You nodded, understanding that Montgomery was a bit of a mouthful. You'd almost completely forgotten about Bones until he decided to speak up, and you looked at him to notice one of his eyebrows was slightly arched upward,

"I hate to break up your little meet and greet folks, but we have to get back to camp." He muttered, brushing past Scotty to lay a hand on your arm, steering you in the direction which you assumed 'camp' was in,

"Ah, yes, sir!" Scotty jumped after you both, falling in line behind the two of you.

A thin line of electricity buzzed through the ever-grey clouds, reminding you of the volatile atmosphere that threatened to change at any moment. The sky was tinged a permanent orange-red; not that you could ever see much of it,

"So where'd ye find this one then McCoy?" Scotty's hand rested on your shoulder comfortingly and he walked double time to keep up with you both.

'This one?' you wondered, shrugging off his hand and adjusting your jacket,

"Found her wandering around in the hunt district - God knows what the damn girl was doing there. Being the Good Samaritan I am, I figured I'd offer to get her to safety before the bastards skinned her alive." Scotty's neck turned and he grinned at you,

"You were lucky to find Dr McCoy y'know, you'd be mulch before long otherwise." Your eyes narrowed at McCoy and you scoffed,

"Lucky? I'd lost them before the idiot ran into me!"

"Hey, hey, c'mon now, you're alive huh?" Bones glanced over his shoulder and flashed you a one sided smile, "That's gotta count for somethin'."

During the next few minutes you descended into an area where clear vision became a distant memory. Thick, dark air filled with moisture and ash,

"We hide in the fog district because it's harder to spot us, y'know." Scotty walked ahead to scout the area and Bones slowed his pace to walk with you,

"I, uh, gotta warn ya. The lady in charge of our group, she keeps the place on a pretty tight schedule and she might not take too kindly to strangers."

"Doctor McCoy, you turn around right now and walk away." The dark outline of a female appeared in the fog, and was moving closer at an alarming rate. When she was close enough you could see her face, you realised it was the face of Nyota Uhura. She was another notably notorious fugitive but also one of the most powerful women you could ever hope to meet. You'd looked up to Uhura for years; dreaming of the day you could be in a position of power like her and prove a female's worth to Starfleet Command; and here she was, stood in front of you. She was dark skinned and had high cheekbones, her long dark hair pulled back smoothly into a high ponytail. You could feel your gut twinging with jealousy because she absolutely stunning, even after all of the shit Khan had put the world through (unlike poor Scotty). However, right now her face was contorted by anger, "Take the new girl, and turn around. Don't come back until she's someplace else."

"Nyota, hear me out -"

"No, Leonard. We barely have enough food to feed all of us to begin with, and we can't be bringing in anybody else."

"The girl had survived in the hunting district on her own; she was almost on the other side. She might be able to help us out."

"I don't care how capable she is, the less resources we have to use, the better." Uhura turned to you and frowned, "I'm sorry, Miss, but you'll have to go."

"If you'd just give me a chance, I can –"

"_(y/n), is zat you?" A thick Russian accent came from the fog, and an incredibly familiar face emerged from the darkness to stare at you in confused awe. He had blue eyes that you remembered would light up whenever you gave him a chance to talk about the Enterprise, which used to be often so it came as almost a shock when you noticed how dull they seemed to be. His hair was strawberry blonde and cropped short at the sides, leaving a mess of curls to hang over his forehead slightly. You weren't sure if it was the fog warping your vision, but now that he was standing closely you were pretty sure that he had stubble now, too, taking away from the boyish look you remembered,

"Chekov?" You almost choked out from surprise, and the dense air. He looked so different - vulnerable and lost. A smile broke onto his face and Uhura gasped,

"Come wis me, I must introduce you to everyvone!" He grabbed your hand and dragged you in the direction of the camp. A sharp tug snapped you back as Bones' hand shot out and gripped the back of your shirt. You gave him a confused look and tilted your head,

"Oh, uh…" He let go and ran the hand he'd gripped you with through his short, dark hair,  
"Force of bad habit... Or, it's getting there. Sorry." He smiled apologetically and gestured for you to go.

As you left, you heard Uhura whispering viciously to Bones; "This doesn't mean she can stay. Not by a long shot."

Chekov still had a firm grip on your hand, but at least he wasn't dragging you now that you'd managed to match his pace. The fog seemed to clear slightly the further you delved into this unknown part of the city you'd spent so long running around in and you were thankful too, because the ground was – much like the rest of the city – littered with debris. You had to be on the outskirts of the city, because it'd just be stupid for a whole Starfleet camp to be set up too close to the heart of the city which was crawling with soldiers and Khan's men. Chekov's voice broke you from your train of thoughts,  
"_(y/n), eet is so nice to see you, eet has been so long I assumed you were dead!" He exclaimed, squeezing your hand as he turned to look at you. You'd already forgotten he was holding it,

"I couldn't help but assume the same…" You mumbled, noticing he was still wearing a smile and damn, was it infectious because you could feel the corners of your lips tugging up,

"I am sorry about ze way Uhura acted back zere. While what she said is true, we cannot afford to just leawe any Starfleet working alone out zere, it is too dangerous." He said firmly, and you were able to spot an orange glow in the distance and the silhouette of what you thought to be tents,

"You don't need to apologise, Pavel, I understand that it's hard on everyone. I mean, jeez, the freaking apocalypse basically happened so I'm not expecting everybody to still play nice." Your grip on his hand slackened so you could wave them in front of you dramatically upon saying 'apocalypse'. Beside you he chuckled quietly, adjusting the dark jacket he was wearing, another dirtied red shirt underneath,

"At least you seemed to hawe wemained positive, despite ewerything." He smiled warmly, raising a hand to gesture to a gap in the tent which you now stood just outside of; the entrance, "I'm sure zat ze other Starfleet will be pleased to meet you, and eet will be nice to hawe more zan one person working in medical." He added as he pulled back one of the flaps, allowing you entrance into the large tent. You were slightly surprised he remembered you were a nurse, or a trainee at least but you were practically qualified anyway,

"Wait, there's only one other medic?" You stopped just inside the turn, turning around to stare at Chekov, slightly bewildered,

"Oh, yes, Dr McCoy." He answered as he followed you in and you mentally slapped yourself as you'd been talking with him not half an hour earlier about how he worked in medical. Your mind wandered back to a few minutes ago, when Chekov had started to tow you away and Bones had tried to tug you back. Force of bad habit? If he said so…

"Of course." You muttered, shaking your head to try and rid your mind of thoughts so you could focus on what was around you, and meeting everybody.  
It was dimly lit by a few lamps, most probably candle lit or oil but you were more interested in snooping around and meeting everybody. The tent was large but pretty bare, with the exception of a few tables and chairs which two red shirts and a yellow shirt occupied playing cards or some sort of game that involved a deck. All three men seemed to perk up upon noticing you and Pavel had entered,

"Chekov! Scotty's already complaining about needing help and –"

"Yes, yes, but he can wait for ten more meenutes, this is _(y/n)! She will be working alongside Dr McCoy hopefully." He seemed almost childish as he stepped forward, gesturing to you as he did so with a smile plastered on his face,

"Another medic? It's about bloody time!" Another red shirt piped up, slamming his cards onto the table with a cheesy grin. He was a big beardy fella, with short brown hair that had grey flecks running through it, and didn't look like he belonged in Starfleet at all,

"It's a pleasure to meet you, missy!" He stuck his hand out as he stood up and paced towards you. You only half consciously lifted up your arm, as you were too busy acknowledging the size of this guy. He must've been nearly 7ft, and those were no hands, they were more like bear paws. Despite how huge his hand was compared to yours and how yours seemed to pretty much disappear, his grip was gentle as he shook it, "Name's Tyrone Jeremy Baxter, TJ for short." He grinned and you noticed he was Texan, or at least his accent was. Even his smile seemed bear like. He must've been in his forties or fifties, but you deemed it rude to ask and returned the smile,

"It's nice to meet you." You replied politely and he let go of your hand, turning around to introduce his two friends who had gone back to staring intensely at their cards,

"This here is Ruben," The man on the left looked up and gave a curt nod. He had short blonde hair that lay flat and brown eyes and looked skinnier than he was supposed to be, given he had prominent cheek bones and a sharp jawline, not to mention his wrists looked like they could take an eye out if he wanted them too. Maybe he was just lanky. Then again, Uhura had said about there barely being enough for everyone. There were dark circles beneath his eyes so you figured he'd had a few too many sleepless nights, and you felt pity stirring in your gut. You shouldn't, because everybody had it bad these days; the past few years. You guessed he wasn't much of a talker, or just didn't care, as he quickly looked back down at his dealt hand, "and this is Clark." This guy had a mop of brown hair that was messy and unkempt, almost reaching thick eyebrows which were drawn down in a frown over grey blue eyes that were still scanning cards. He looked closer to your age than Ruben, who looked like he was maybe in his thirties. He was the yellow shirt, "Clark, ya deaf dog! Honestly, sometimes I think I outta let McCoy take a looka' them ears of yours." TJ barked, and this time Clark responded,

"Huh? Oh right, hi. _(y/n), wasn't it?" English. You nodded and half smiled, and TJ had to reiterate that you were a nurse along with a various string of insults about him needing to 'listen up' and 'get them ears cleaned out', which you weren't even sure qualified as verbal offences. Clark didn't seemed phased and just shook his head with a grin,  
"We need another nurse around, seeing as Dr McCoy is the only doctor. It's nice to meet you." He said as he glanced down at his cards with a smirk and fanned them out on the table, and Ruben's eyes widened as he cursed and smacked his own onto the table.

They seemed like good people, and you were more eager than you were letting on to get to work with them and befriend them. It had been far too long since you'd been around people, and welcoming ones no less,

"Well then, Miss _(y/n), I'll let you and Chekov go, bastard kid's just won third time runnin'." Another toothy grin as he thrust his thumb toward Clark. He must've seen Clark's hand and known his own wasn't quite a match. You nodded and waved as Chekov lead you to the other end of the tent, where you could now hear chatter and even laughter.

That was something you hadn't heard for an impossibly long time.


	3. Chapter 3

The location of the laughter was easy to pinpoint as its origin was from a small glow - caused by a fresh fire illuminating its way through the fog, several humanoid silhouettes visible.

"Pavel, honey, who's that?" A harsh, nasally voice broke the atmosphere as you passed the small group of people sat by the fire, and a hand tipped with long, chipped nails crept its way over Chekov's shoulder. The hand belonged to a girl a few inches taller than you with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes,

"Oh, yes, zis is my old friend, _(y/n)." Old _friend?_ Was that all you ever were to him? Ouch, "_(y/n), zis is Grace... She's my girlfriend." Oh. Your mind seemed to stop functioning momentarily, save for a memory that was replaying over and over in your mind,

_"I'll wait for you, promise."_ He hadn't waited. He'd accepted you were dead for Christ's sake. You had tried to convince yourself that there was no way he was alive, you'd told him you thought the same; but you were lying to him and yourself. You didn't want to be upset, you didn't want to feel like somebody had stuck a pin in your arm and all of the air was escaping, leaving you feeling deflated. You didn't want to feel numb, but you did,

"It's lovely to meet you… You're lucky to have such a great guy." You offered up a smile but it didn't reach your eyes, and this girl was cottoning on to the way you felt like a snake striking out at its prey. Quickly; maliciously and without mercy,

"So you're the _(y/n)? Pavel's mentioned you a few times. And oh, I know. He's just _wonderful_." Chekov mumbled something about being right back, patting your arm as he left, "I don't know what I'd do without him. He gives me a reason to keep fighting every day." She inspected her mostly broken nails idly, as if this were casual conversation. She hadn't even known you for _two minutes_ and she was already playing the protective bitchy girlfriend card, but the way she glared at you - like _you_ were the enemy - made you think she knew exactly who you were to Pavel just a few years back. But she had said you were the _(y/n), so he'd obviously talked about you enough to make you a memorable character. You were unaware of the footsteps until you could sense a presence behind you, a large hand now splayed on the small of your back, and not Chekov's,

"I hate to interrupt but I need to steal _(y/n) for a while. And you should be on patrol, if I'm not mistaken." Bones' voice muttered sternly and dangerously close to your ear even though the dialogue was directed to Grace. A shiver descended your spine, and you hoped that Bones hadn't felt it. Grace huffed and stood,

"I was just taking a quick break Dr McCoy, and you know how long those patrols can be." She replied, but there was something all too flirtatious about the way she said it, too. She turned on her heel, hips swaying as she disappeared into the fog. You didn't like her, not one bit,  
"Now, as I said, you're gonna need to come with me." His tone softened and he steered you away from the fire and the other people that you hadn't even introduced yourself to, "You'll have to ignore her, she's just a grade A bitch." He hissed, hand still lightly pressed against your back to guide you through the fog,  
"Anyway, over here is where you'll be sleepin', for now."

Stepping into the thin, yellowed tent, it was like an enormous weight had been lifted from your shoulders - or more realistically, your lungs. The air was clear and for the first time in a while you could actually make out the things in front of you. Bones walked ahead and lifted a ragged blanket from a messy bundle in the corner, spreading it out on the floor about three metres from the other ones,

"Well, this is the medic's quarters." He began to arrange the blankets into a bed, brushing collected dirt away from the floor and sighed as he turned around, to see you still stood in the doorway, "Well come on in darlin', you're lettin' the good air out." You took a seat on the messy bundle of blankets and brushed through your hair with your hands; wincing as thick layers of dust and ash cascaded onto your already filthy clothes,

"Medic's Quarters? I thought there was only one medic?"

"Well, two now. Welcome to your temporary home. Temporary because in a few weeks we need to pack up and move - scouts won't leave this area alone for long and we can't risk being discovered." You paused and took in the room for the first time. You could barely even call it a room; in fact, it couldn't even pass for a tent. It was some old yellow tarpaulin, propped up by thin wooden poles and draped over the ground. The floor was dust and rocks and didn't appeal to you for sleeping on any more than the outside did. The only real upside to the shelter was that it clipped shut; some privacy at last, it would be nice to escape to during a random thunderstorm (they were common occurrences nowadays). There was a chipped wooden box at the other end of the room that was just small enough to carry under your arm, if you tried really hard. You couldn't help noticing the distinct lack of beds,

"So, where do you sleep?" The silence had become almost painful, and you tried your best to break it,

"Well, you're sat on it." He gestured to where you were sitting, and upon instinct you jumped to your feet and apologised,

"Hey, don't need to worry." A smirk appeared on his face, and he raised an eyebrow, "When I met you, I didn't mean that whole 'superior officer' thing. You can sit on my damn bed if you want. OH, uh, by that of course I mean, well, when I'm not here I suppose you can… God, that sounded so much better in my head."

A huge smile spread across your face and you laughed. The sensation was alien to you now, and it was painful and arduous; there was no real cause to laugh nowadays and the air hadn't done your respiratory system a huge favour. Your uncomfortably loud almost bark of a laugh made Bones smile wider, and for a few seconds the rest of the world melted into the background as you just stood, enveloped in the unfamiliar feeling of happiness,

"Oh, I have something for you! Close your eyes." He began rooting around in the small wooden box, and you leaned on your tiptoes to peek over his shoulder, "Hey, I said close 'em. I don't have to let you stay in here, ya know." His stern tone of voice had returned, as if the fleeting euphoria had completely passed him by, and he hadn't seen joy in years. "Ah, it's still in good condition. Hold out your hands."  
Without hesitation they shot out in front of you, coming into contact with a silky, cold fabric. "It belonged to an old Science officer we had; her name was Carol Marcus." You opened your eyes to see a dark blue Science operations dress, complete with insignia. It was clean; much cleaner than what the other officers were wearing,

"What happened to her?" something about it gave you shivers and Bones' expression changed from that stern look he always seemed to wear to a pained one. It made you all the more uncomfortable that, that expression looked _natural_,

"She was beamed aboard Khan's ship by her father. He was killed, and then Khan snapped her neck before we even had the chance to beam her back." Your stomach churned. So many wasted lives since that day. You stared at the dead woman's dress, running your fingers over the fabric. It made you shift uneasily and you glanced at Bones,

"You want me to wear a dead woman's dress?"

"Uhura has a 'spare nothing' policy, sorry darlin'. If we had anything else I'd give it to ya." He shrugged sympathetically. You nodded, looking back down at the dress, "Anyway. Put it on; I'm excited to see how you would've looked working on the ship." He clapped his hands together and sat down; brushing some of the day's dirt and grime from his face,

"Well, uh… Do you want to leave, so I can get changed, or...?" He covered his eyes with his hands and tutted,

"I won't look, I swear. Just go ahead."  
You wanted to protest and get him to turn around at least, but you just wanted these rags off. You slowly tore the filthy clothes from your body - they almost seemed fused to you considering you'd worn them for well over two weeks. You brushed away any dirt or dust, wanting to keep this dress as immaculate as you could for as long as possible. You slipped into the dress, just the feeling of the new material was alien to you and oddly enough the dress was sized perfectly. It came to halfway down your thighs, and just sat tight enough to show off every curve you had, but not be uncomfortable,

"Ya decent yet sweetheart? Hands are gettin' kinda tired."

"Yeah, uh, I think so."

"What d'ya mean, 'I think s-" McCoy never finished his sentence as he lowered his hands and stared in awe for a few moments. His eyebrows rose ever so slightly and you could see the Adam's apple in his throat moving as he swallowed,

"I'm glad it fits, I, uh, need to speak to Scotty. I'll see you later."

McCoy left without another word, leaving you standing there with a light blush across your cheeks and nose. He was glad it fit, but did it look okay? There were no mirrors so you'd just have to hope that you looked decent. Not a minute after Bones had left, the tent entrance was thrown open to reveal Uhura and luckily she wasn't looking as pissed as she did earlier,

"Oh. Hello, Uhura." You greeted her with a polite wave, and she nodded at you before glancing over her shoulder, "Um, are we going to be joined or…?" Your voice trailed off as she shut the tent behind her, and took a few steps forward,

"No, but I'll be taking you to meet the rest of us shortly." She answered, looking up at you as she brushed down her dress and folded both hands behind her back. She swallowed, clearing her throat, "I just wanted to make it clear that if you are to stay, you're gonna have to be able to haul your own weight, and then some. Commander Spock has advised it best to keep you; we need all the help we can get, and if what McCoy said about you being almost on the other side of the hunting district, then I admit you are of use." You nodded. You'd been saving your own skin ever since you hit the ground running three years ago, so you were pretty sure you could continue doing so but among civilisation, "Also, we have a round the clock patrol on the perimeter of the camp which most of us partake in, and you will also be expected to. Your shift will be from 0200 to 0600, so don't let me catch you falling asleep on the job." She smiled faintly at you, and your shoulders relaxed as apparently you'd be unconsciously tense, "But… That's not wholly why I'm letting you stay." She confessed and shifted her weight slightly,

"What do you mean?" You inquired, and she smiled at you,

"Honestly? It's McCoy." Bones? What the hell did that mean? You frowned at her, and she continued, "Back there when I first met you, and when I bumped into him outside just a minute ago… There's a light in his eyes, and one I haven't seen for a very long time." She explained and you could feel the heat creeping up your neck and across your cheeks again, "Not since Kirk, anyway." Woah. Wait a moment. _Since_ Kirk? That would have to mean…

"Captain Kirk's dead?" You blurted out and she hushed you, ushering you towards the back of the tent,

"But McCoy doesn't know that." She was talking in whispers now, hurried ones, too,

"Why doesn't he know? Isn't that a bit of a big secret to keep from him?" You whispered bitterly, and Uhura looked hurt for a moment,

"Believe me, I know, but before he met Kirk and joined Starfleet he was a complete train wreck, a drunkard wasting his life away." You nodded, but your stomach was still churning away nervously, "All he knows is that Kirk is supposedly hiding. We don't want to keep it from him, but he's valuable to us and we can't afford to lose him. If he knew Kirk was dead…" Her eyebrows were drawn together and she was shaking her head,

"And you want me to keep this from him, too?" You muttered coldly, folding your arms over your chest,

"If you don't, we will lose him." She pleaded and you were reluctant to nod,

"Is everybody aware he's… Y'know…" You trailed off and Uhura shook her head,

"No, only Spock, Sulu, Chekov, Scotty and I are aware he's dead. The rest of them are oblivious and we need to keep it that way." You nodded again and your mind wandered to all of the wanted posters you'd seen of the Captain of the Enterprise's face,

"What about Khan? Does he know?" You asked, still frowning,

"As far as we know, he isn't aware. He still think's Kirk is alive." Uhura murmured. One thing struck you as odd, though; if he was wanted most of all by Khan, and Khan didn't know he was dead, why were there no new shiny posters up and around? There were fresh batches every few months, so old and torn ones were always replaced. Maybe he there was no need for posters,  
"Please understand." One of her hands reached out to rest on your crossed arms and you dropped them to your sides, sighing dejectedly,

"Don't worry, I can keep your secret." You said quietly,

"Thank you. Anyway, I'll take you to meet the others now." She gave you a smile, but it was gonna take more than that to lift your mood now.

A few minutes later and Uhura had lead you out of your new sleeping quarters and to a much larger tent which hosted at least thirty people. It was a greenish brown canvas-like material, and part of you wondered how they'd managed to get their hands on a fully intact tent. Didn't they call these things beer tents or something? Maybe it was an army thing. Then again, they were army-ish colours. You glanced around at all of the people and noted that most were seated and talking or carrying things around. The entrance that you'd come in through was in the middle of the tent, and the right end appeared to be filled with beds of sorts, whilst the left end was where Uhura had said we'd find Spock and Co.

She lead you through a few rows of tables which numerous people were seated at and you approached what you figured were kind of the main headquarters. There were stacks of boxes which were unopened and tables with what looked like blueprints and various pieces of equipment strewn across. Clustered around one were four people, all with their backs to you. Two of them you instantly recognised as Scotty and Bones,

"Gentlemen." Uhura cleared her throat and all four turned, and you saw Scotty look at you with a shocked expression,

"Ya weren't kidding, Doctor." He elbowed his stomach and Bones scowled, looking at you for a brief moment but he was quick to avoid your gaze otherwise,

"_(y/n), this is Commander Spock and Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu." You already knew who they were, as with Scotty, but you let the introductions take place anyways,

"It's lovely to meet you, I've already heard good things." Sulu was the first to step forward, offering you his hand with a smirk and you smiled back as you gave your own hand, shaking it. Already heard good things? You glanced at Bones to see he still had his gaze averted, and if you weren't mistaken he was blushing. A moment later you released each other's hands and Sulu took a step back, allowing Spock to step forward and boy had three years changed him. Instead of that neatly kempt hair and small fringe you'd seen in the posters, it was longer and was just about thick enough to hold its own weight and stick upwards in a messy fashion,

"_(y/n), at last I finally meet you." He nodded at you, and you simply continued smiling back, unsure of what to do with yourself,

"Anyway, how about that status report?" Bones seemed to have composed himself and spared a glance your way, but quickly looked back at Spock who still had both hands behind his back,

"Ah, yes. The scouts returned having found nothing of real sustenance, but it was reported that there were copious amounts of alcohol scavenged."

"Oh, for the love of God, please tell me that ya brought back the alcohol." Bones almost seemed to groan, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and folding his arms over his chest,

"I advised against it, as such a large quantity would be a waste of space and-"

"Oh, don't you worry Doctor, I made sure they brought it back with 'em." Scotty interjected with a grin. Bones heaved a sigh of relief and he smiled, slapping Scotty on the back who almost stumbled forward. Scotty scowled at him, but it quickly vanished and was replaced with a grin as Bones announced,

"Well, we'll break into the booze tonight, round the fire. We've got a new crew member, and a reason to celebrate."


	4. Chapter 4

Before the evening meet around the fire, Scotty offered to take you on a full tour of the facility. You were extremely grateful for the tour; although the camp was remarkably well hidden, it was also extraordinarily large. The camp was set out pretty much like a rectangle: the medic quarters was at the north of the camp, just a ten minute walk from the fire. There were two towering piles of debris; the North West debris pile and the south west debris pile (so fantastically named by Scotty) and between the two, directly west of the campfire, was the tent in which you'd met TJ, Ruben and Clark. There were two tents to the south - one which held supplies, rations, weapons etc., and another for general sleeping arrangements. The east of the camp was home to an enormous tent that seemed as if it was barely still standing- the sheets were so worn and ripped that there was barely any coverage, and any slight gust of wind had the entire structure waving from side to side,

"This is where the magic happens!" Scotty rocked back and forth on his toes with his hands behind his back, looking extremely pleased with the rotting construction,

"The magic of impending doom?" You stifled a grin, and Scotty's eyebrows furrowed,

"I'll have ye know I helped build most'a this place, this is the main meetin' room where people come doon and discuss the happenin's of the day."

"It's impressive I suppose, considering you made it from scrap."

"You're bloody right it's impressive lass, now come on, let's go t' the fire and have a drink. Everybody's probably gone 'n' gotten 'emselves jaked already." You frowned slightly as he led you towards the faint glow in the distance that was the campfire and you could already hear hearty laughs and yelling. You weren't sure you'd be able to let yourself go as much as they sounded they had, but you could only try,

"What the hell does 'jaked' mean?" You found yourself starting to laugh slightly at the slang as Scotty let out a loud laugh,

"Sorry las, I meant drunk."

"I had a hunch." The two of you laughed.

Not a few moments later you were approaching the campfire which was surrounded by several people, namely Bones, Sulu, Chekov, Grace and oddly enough – Spock – although he didn't look all too pleased to be here (that being said, he always had a monotone expression so you weren't actually too sure, truth be told). Bones was the first to notice your arrival, and he was already swaying even though he was sitting down on a makeshift bench,

"I told ya, lassie, didn't I?" Scotty elbowed your side with a grin and took a seat next to Spock whilst Bones patted the empty spot next to him and you shook your head, smiling as you obliged and sat,

"You two were gone a while, ya sure you were just takin' her on a tour?" Bones stared long and hard at Scotty and your cheeks heated as Scotty stared back, one corner of his mouth unsure of whether it wanted to turn down or turn up in a quivering, gobsmacked manner. Before Scotty could sputter a reply, McCoy's face broke into a grin and he commenced exulting about Scotty's face being 'absolutely priceless' and he handed him a bottle of beer from the crate next to him on the floor,

"Sorry kiddo, just pokin' a bit of fun." Bones turned to you with a bottle in hand and a more gentle smile which just made you blush more furiously than you already were.  
You couldn't help noticing how laid back everybody seemed; it was heightened by the fact that Nyota was not there observing them.

"Where's Uhura?" You whispered to Bones, almost being headbutted as he leant back to get closer to your words.

"Late patrol shift." He flashed you an inebriated grin which almost seemed to warm you from the harsh winds. "It's fun night."

You took the beer that he offered you and downed a hearty sip. It'd been years since you'd tasted alcohol; and although the taste wasn't entirely pleasant, it reminded you of better times. Times when you'd sit up in your Starfleet academy dorm with Pavel and his friends, drinking and laughing. Planning the next get together, or the next away training mission. You'd just sit there watching movies or telling jokes, some days just you and him. Grace coughed sharply, almost as if she was reminding you of your place.

"Why the long face kid? You've got people to talk to now. Enjoy yourself!" Bones nudged you in the side and winked, causing light flips in your stomach. He was rather charming you had to admit- even when incredibly intoxicated.

"So, _(y/n). How long exactly were you alone in the field?" Sulu smiled over at you,attempting to make conversation.

"Oh, about two years- from the day Khan's crew destroyed the academy. Nobody had anywhere to go, and when they created the camps and hideouts, I just wasn't wanted because I wasn't a fully trained nurse. I wasn't exactly helpful; you guys are the only people who gave me a chance." You lowered your head in fear of ridicule, or even rejection from a group once more- however all you heard was a sharp intake of breath from Sulu, a muttered swear from Scotty and a soft, almost inaudible "I'm sorry" from Pavel.

A hand was placed gently on your leg and you glanced over to see McCoy, looking up at you with a sympathetic eyebrow raised. "I'm truly sorry sweetheart, I couldn't imagine being alone for that long. Ya sure are brave. I gotta say, my worst fear right now is Jim out there on his own. He's hidin' out ya know, from Khan? My best bud is all out there all on his own. Sure as hell can't wait until I can see him again." He removed his hand and took a slow, longer gulp of his drink. The stress lines on his face had never seemed deeper- and he became almost weary with worry. There was a thick shroud of discomfort around the circle from those who knew the truth.

"Right then, enough'a the depressin' shet in this circle, let's play a game a' used to play when a' was a wee lad. A drinkin' game, o'course. 'Never Have A' Ever.' Ya up fur that, lass?' Scotty raised his bottle in your direction.

"I don't think I know the game." You smiled back.

"It's a wee bit personal mind, but we'll get ta' know each other. One person says somethin' they've never done, and if ye have done it, ye drink! Ye doon for that, _(y/n)?"

"Well, I doubt I'm tipsy enough to spill my innermost secrets just yet- but I'll give it a go."

"Mr Scott, I have to object to this game. As a Vulcan, alcohol has little to no effect on my system, therefore I do not believe this would be an enjoyable activity for me to take part in. Also, I must interject that-"

"Goddamnit pointy, shut your trap and play the damn game." McCoy slurred over, grinning as he did- so as not to cause Spock too much offence. "I'll start. Never have I ever...had feelings in any way towards somebody of the same sex."

You glanced around the circle, eager to see who would drink. Scotty was the first to drink and you could feel the corner of your mouth twitching into a smile- you had assumed Scotty was a regular drinker, so the thought of him bunking with another guy didn't entirely shock you. TJ was the next to drink and you had to suppress a snigger; the thought of this enormous bearded man fancying another guy just made you sit in awe. The third and final person to drink? Hikaru Sulu.

"Christ Sulu, really?" Bones laughed in disbelief, taking an idle swig of his beer. Sulu stared at him with a shrug and Bones' smile seemed to drop, "No way, seriously? Wow." You smiled slightly at the look of surprise he now had in replace of a smile, "Never woulda pegged you to swing the bat for the other team." Another sip of beer,

"I guess playing for one team just gets a little boring, Dr McCoy. " Sulu replied and one corner of his mouth twitched up for a brief moment,

"Whatever floats your boat, kid." Bones smiled back and suddenly Scotty raised a finger and his mouth formed an 'O' shape,

"Aye! I got one for ye. Never have a' ever… Had sexual encounters with a species other than my own." Scotty swiftly tipped his bottle up and took a drink, grinning as he waited for the rest of you to respond. Grace didn't miss a beat and chugged down a bit more than you were supposed to, but there weren't exactly rules about how much you drink – you just drink. TJ smirked and took a sip, Spock seemed to be staring intensely at his bottle like a war was waging in his head before he eventually took a drink and you paused for a moment to think, frowning as you did so. Something nudged your side and you turned to see Bones also drinking, and you felt a familiar pang in your gut – jealousy,

"Him and Uhura, I s'pose he figures Uhura is another species seeing as he is a… a… Hybrid? Is that it? Whatever." Bones mumbled with a smile at first, but upon struggling for the word 'hybrid' it disappeared into his usual frown. You shifted uncomfortably, trying to control that jealousy that seemed to be creeping up on you like the tide does; slow, but unstoppable. Why were you jealous? Well, you had to admit that he was handsome, and charming, and had helped you and stuck up for you when they wanted to cast you out like the rest… But that didn't give you reason enough to already be attached and feel jealous, right?

"Oh, I see." You nodded. Everybody seemed to be chatting (or what sounded more like arguing) and laughing at somebody who had taken a drink, presumably, but by the time your mind came tumbling back down to earth the moment had passed and somebody else had come up with another one.

"Never have I ever-" Spock's voice was blunt, as if he'd had the thought in his head for a long time but didn't have the courage to spill his idea. "Felt remorse whilst killing one of Khan's crew."  
The air around the campfire became as thick as wool, and for a few seconds nobody dared to move. Images flashed through your head- your fallen comrades, the crumbled remains of the buildings that you once called home- the thought of McCoy having to deal with the knowledge that his best friend had been possibly obliterated, or worse. Your hands remained still- and so did the hands of every other person in the circle. The atmosphere became dark and heavy, and Spock's eyes narrowed- you sensed a slight regret at thinking of the idea, and silently prayed that somebody would think of another one before everyone in the circle decided on some form of mass killing spree.

"Oh right, I've got one now!" McCoy sliced through the collective sadness with ease, slurred words echoing through the air. "Never have I ever...and this is honestly true...slept with a Starfleet Officer."  
A couple of audible giggles. Your cheeks reddened. Every single person began to drink- even Pavel, TJ, Spock, Sulu- everybody but you and McCoy.  
He began to chuckle. "So, when was the orgy and why wasn't I invited?" He smiled but his eyes flickered to the ground and you began to wonder if he was embarrassed. You couldn't entirely blame him, being the only other person in the circle not drinking drew attention, and Bones turned to you and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I have an early shift tomorrow- I'd better get some rest. Pleasure drinking with you guys." You used Bones' shoulder to get some leverage, but he grappled your forearm and pulled you back down to the ground before you could even plant your feet. 'Naaaaaaaaaa'w darlin', stay with us a little longer- we've barely gotten ta know you yet.' He rested his head on your shoulder and you struggled to suppress the silly little flips that occurred in your stomach. You watched McCoy reach for his bottle, and miss three or four times before finally grappling the neck and holding it the wrong way up.  
"Okay that's it, you need to get some rest too." You hooked your arm underneath his and pulled him to his feet- ignoring the jeers and chants from Scotty on the other side of the circle.

It was about a ten minute walk from the fire to the medic's tent, but the evening's fog made it uncomfortable and threatening. McCoy was gripping onto your arm for stability and the light pressure from his fingertips was somehow reassuring.

"Never slept with a Starfleet officer huh?" He had tilted his head so that his mouth was by your ear, and the tickles of his breath made you shudder slightly. "So you and the Russian...you never-?"

You smiled and shook your head. "Mr Chekov was always incredibly focussed on his work. No matter how much he liked me, he just- there was some studying that was more important. I didn't mind."

Bones scoffed and removed his arm from yours, scruffing up his hair slightly. "Stupid kid."  
You forced back a flattered smirk.

When you reached the tent, Bones wasted no time in collapsing on the pile of blankets and attempting to pull you down with him. You dug your heels into the ground and remained standing, but his arm remained firmly attached to yours.

"Mr McCoy-"

"Bones." He murmured sleepily, eyes already closed.

"Bones, I'll be waking up in a few hours. I'd really like to get back to my own bed."

"Hey girlie, I just wanna say-"

"_(y/n)." You reminded him, playfully.

"_(y/n), thank you."

"For what?"

"For, uh- runnin'into me."

"Why are you-?" Before you could finish, he had already drifted off to sleep. You hoped he had gone to a place far nicer than the hell you were living in.


End file.
